I have four DC (three of them of preeschool age) and divorced three years ago. XH pays child maintenance for them which, although not a great amount if helps me keep barely afloat each month as I'm unable to work (crazy high childcare costs which wouldn't be covered by my salary). He's been inconsistent with his payments many times which has ended up with me going under an IVA as I ran out quite high credit card bills and loans just trying to make meets end.
Now, I live in London but I'm not from the UK (EU country). I have no family here, zero support network which makes my life incredibly stressful as XH doesn't do anything for DC other than having them four nights every month. He keeps threading saying that he's going to stop working so he doesn't have to pay any more child maintenance; he's self employed and on a job in which is very easy to hide any earnings.
My question is ..... how easy from a legal point of view would be for me to move back to my home country, where I would have family support, built in childcare with DC's grandparents (or at the least for a 10th of the cost in the UK) as well as easier to find a job for me? What would the process entail and how long would it take? How much is it likely to cost in legal fees? (I can see him contesting it; he currently only sees them alternate weekends for two nights as well as two weeks in the summer holidays).
I really don't want to uproot them (especially eldest, he's 13) but I might have no choice if he stops paying child maintenance as I need to provide a roof under their heads...